Five Tips for Fighting an Unfair Hospital Bill

If you are faced with an overwhelming hospital bill, it can feel like the world is crashing down upon you. It is not uncommon for people without (and sometimes even with) health insurance to be beset by hospital bills in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to get out from under this mountain of hospital debt. Here is a look at five tips for fighting an unfair hospital bill.

Negotiate

Hospitals do not all charge the same rates, and the ones that overcharge have a lot of room to lower your unfair hospital bill and still make a profit. If you feel like your bill is too high, talk with the hospital’s accounting department to get it lowered.

Review the Bill Thoroughly

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for hospitals to make mistakes on the bills they send customers. The sad thing is that most of these mistakes tend to be in benefit of the hospital rather than the patient. To prevent yourself from falling victim to these mistakes, you need to go over every bill you receive from the hospital with a fine tooth comb. Double and triple check the bills to make sure you are not being overcharged, or charged for services you did not receive.

Appeal the Insurer’s Decision

You may sometimes come across a portion of your bill that you are being charged for that you feel should be covered by your health insurance. If this is the case, do not hesitate to contact your insurer to appeal the decision. This will not always work, but it can be a way to remove some of the charges from your bill if there happens to be a mistake or miscalculation.

Get Help from Professionals

If you are feeling overwhelmed by your large hospital bill, you can seek professional help to get it lowered. Professional patient advocates can help people who are facing unfair hospital bills to get them lowered to a more reasonable amount. This kind of help often comes in handy when you are still dealing with an illness or recovering from a surgery. If you don’t have the strength or ability to fight the unfair bill on your own, an advocate can step in and do a lot of the leg work for you. 

Ask for Financial Assistance from the Hospital

Many hospitals are willing to provide patients who are struggling financially with help. However, you may have to apply for Medicare first and get denied before the hospital will give it to you. It is well worth this to get financial help from the hospital to lower your bill—especially if the amount is overwhelmingly high.

An unfair hospital bill may feel insurmountable, but there is always a way to handle it. According to the personal injury lawyers in Halifax at the Cantini Law Group, you won’t always win the battle when fighting an unfair hospital bill, but it is always worth it to ask. Try a few tactics to see if the hospital is willing to work with you, and then seek professional help. If these methods don’t work, you might need to reach out to another financial institution to get the bill paid in a timely and manageable manner.

How to Save and Earn Extra Money this Spring

The spring season is quickly approaching, making it an ideal time to make extra money and find ways of supplementing your income. With a few creative ideas and a bit of hard work, it's possible to save for a summer trip or extra expenses. To earn extra money, there are a few ways of spending more time outdoors and offering your skills to those in the community.

Rent Out a Room

You can lease out a room in your home to earn extra cash during the season. Write out a contract with a specific timeframe that will detail how long the tenant will occupy the property for an easy way of making money this spring simply by offering up extra space in your home. It also might be a good idea to have your contract notarized to help prevent any potential legal problems later.

Sell DVDs Online

Many people have dozens of DVDs that are no longer used in their home, but are still worth plenty of money. Instead of allowing the movies to collect dust, sell each DVD online on a website like www.decluttr.com. Selling our DVDs online is an easy way to clean out your home and earn some extra cash.

Do Good Yard Work

One of the best ways to earn some extra money this spring is to help your neighbors with their yard work. Everyone wants their yard to look good, but many of them don’t like doing it. Start with your yard. Clear out all the dead leaves and twigs that might be there after a long winter. Re-mulch your flower beds and trim your trees. Remove any dead plants or flowers from last year. 

Do whatever it takes to make your yard look the best in your neighborhood then take pictures. Go around door-to-door to your neighbors and offer your services to help them with their yard work. Show them the photos of your yard in order to sell the idea of them hiring you to do their work for them. The more that will hire you, the more likely you will end up with some extra cash this spring. Some may even become repeat customers for summer maintenance or to help them again next year.

Become a Dog Walker

With the spring season causing temperatures to rise, more pets can now spend time outdoors and get exercise after hibernating indoors after a long winter. You can make extra money by become a dog walker in the neighborhood with prices that are based on the duration of each walk. Advertise your services by posting flyers throughout the local area and going door to door to households that own dogs. You can also offer dog training or dog washing services for more ways of caring for local pets in the community.

Clean Out Your Closet

From winter coats to miniskirts, there are often a number of clothing items that most people own but no longer use in their closets. Sell your unused clothes and accessories to secondhand stores for an easy way of earning a buck or two on outdated items that are no longer in style. You can put the cash toward other items in the store or even use it to buy new clothing to update your wardrobe.

With a bit of spring cleaning in your home and services that you can provide to your community, it's possible to earn a bit of side money by getting creative this season. It will not only allow you to save for a summer vacation or seasonal decor for the home, but will make for a productive way of staying busy. 

How to Save Money on Your Monthly Energy Bills

People are always looking for ways to save a little more money in today’s world Bills these days seem to be continually increasing, especially energy bills. Unless you’re in the middle of a big city, such as Chicago or New York, energy bills are going to be one of the more feared monthly bills. Luckily, with some ingenuity, you can help cut it in half each month.

Reusable Filters

Even though the low end AC and furnace filters are relatively inexpensive, the few dollars you spend each time you have to replace them add up over time. In addition, the action of replacing them often causes homeowners to delay, resulting in a less efficient system that tacks on money to your bill. Instead, purchase a reusable filter. At the end of 15 months, it will have paid for itself.

Upgrade Appliances

Most modern appliances are built to be energy efficient. While they may be expensive to begin with, many states offer rebate check incentives to upgrade to newer models. This on top of a lower electricity bill equates to less you have to pay out each month. When you’re out shopping, look for the Energy Star label.

Along with the Energy Star rating, you might also want to look for other energy efficient items. This would include items such as an energy efficient light bulb rather than your traditional incandescent bulbs. Most people now in days are going to the more energy efficient light bulbs as they are also supposed to last longer than your traditional incandescent bulb. This should in theory help you save on your monthly electric bills and how often you have to buy new light bulbs as well.

New Doors and Windows

The shape of doors and windows slowly morphs over time due to heat, moisture and all other environmental factors. Though they are perfectly designed to keep your indoor air from getting outside and vice versa, the shape deformities lead to cracks and openings that can’t be filled (Source: Northern Comfort). If you notice a breeze coming through around your doors and windows, it’s time to change them out.

Programmable Thermostat

It is estimated that programmable thermostats save you around 10% on your utility bill. By adjusting itself at different points in the day, the air and heat are never constantly running, only kicking in when you are in the house. Some models even learn your preferences and adjust automatically. There are also models that allow you to control the temperature in different rooms of your house and thus allowing you to heat the rooms you use the most and keep the rooms you use the least cooler or vice versa depending on if you are in summer or winter weather.

Cold Water

Instead of washing clothes and cleaning dishes in hot water, switch to cold. About 90% of the energy used by your washer goes to heating the water. This equates to burning 182 gallons of gas. By simply switching to a cold wash, the machine drops dramatically to only burning about 8 gallons. If you are worried about killing all the germs on your dishes, then don’t be. Using cold water will wash your dishes just as well as long as you use soap and wash your dishes well.

The bottom line is that your energy bill doesn’t need to cost a quarter of your monthly income. By making a few sacrifices in terms of using more cold water and investing in better appliances, your bill can be mitigated with relatively little impact to your lifestyle. With all of this energy you conserve, just imagine what a beneficial impact it will have on the environment.

Divorces Don't Have To Be Expensive: Six Tips To Save Money

One of the main reasons why many people stay in unhappy marriages is because of how cost-prohibitive divorce can be. Remaining in a marriage that makes you miserable can be emotionally crippling. If you want a divorce, don't be afraid of the costs involved. You can reduce your expenses if you follow these tips to save money throughout your divorce proceedings.

Take Your Time Finding An Attorney

Many people end up spending too much money on legal costs because they hire the first attorney they find online or in the phone book. When it comes to choosing a divorce attorney, be sure to take your time and compare costs. You don't want to spend too little money and find yourself with a sub-par attorney, but you also don't want to spend too much on a simply average lawyer. While some couples may avoid getting an attorney to try to save on costs, this a bad a idea. An attorney can help you speed up the process and get a fair outcome for you and any children involved. 

Try To Settle In Mediation

The longer your divorce proceedings, the more you'll spend. If your divorce actually goes to trial, court costs can really start to pile up. If you can settle in mediation and keep the proceedings out of a courtroom, you can save a lot of money.

Close All Joint Accounts As Soon As Possible

If you and your soon-to-be ex share credit or debit accounts, close them immediately. As long as both of your names are on these accounts, you can be held accountable for anything that he or she spends. Telling these creditors that you were in the process of getting a divorce won't get you off the hook. Not taking this critical step can quickly leave in you in unintended debt. Open up a different bank account to continue paying your bills without worrying about your partner spending all of the money. 

Create a Budget and Stick To It

Even if you're behaving smartly, cash will be tight during your divorce process. Create a budget based on your income and expenses and stick to it. Remember that a time will come again that you will be back on your feet and able to live comfortably. During your divorce, however, you can't be a spendthrift. Take a look at your budget and figure out how it will need to change until the divorce is finalized. Many people jump to what things will be like after the divorce, and don't take financial steps during the process to avoid financial problems. 

Don't Take Out Any New Loans or Lines of Credit

Many divorcing individuals will take out loans or open new lines of credit to take the place of the support they used to receive from their spouse's income. However, this is a one-way ticket to bankruptcy down the road. This is a time to monitor your finances carefully, not to assume new debts.

Don't Be Afraid To Sell Assets

Many people develop sentimental attachments to luxuries procured during their marriage. Items like boats and jewelry may have been a breeze to finance when you were in a two-income partnership, but they're extraneous and unnecessary when you're trying to save money during a divorce. There's no shame in selling off luxury items and creature comforts to get a little extra cash.

By following these tips, you can get through your divorce financially. It's important to understand all of the costs to not overspend or go into debt. With the right planning and effort, divorces don't have to be expensive. Informational credit to Kitchen Simeson Belliveau Llp.